Flying in Fog, does anyone else have issues with their quad getting wet...

[Gut Stuff]

 

[old man mavic]

its not so much the drone getting wet on the outside,its the fact that moisture can be drawn inside by the fan and could cause issues with the internal electronics
also the sensors can be fooled by dense fog and cause the drone to think there are obstacles in its way

 

[waylander]

Hi Gut Stuff

Think about this, generally fog is considered to be a humidity reading equal to around 100%, so in essence you are flying through a cloud of water vapour, this will get into your drone.

Generally fresh water is not highly electrically conductive at the low voltages we are talking about in a drone, and so may not immediately cause any problems to the electronic circuit boards, however the drone is packed with sensors and if sufficient water got into the ultrasonic position sensors, they may well be damaged. Sometimes DJI uses adhesive tape to ensure cables remain in their allocated cable paths/routes, prolonged exposure to water may result in the degradation of the adhesive so cables could come loose, which may cause a problem.

I would not do it, and what about VLOS, whilst flying in fog...? but apart from that it was a good video

Stay safe, be happy
Waylander

 

[NJInfrared]

get the drone wet suit

 

[Gut Stuff]

Hi Gut Stuff

Think about this, generally fog is considered to be a humidity reading equal to around 100%, so in essence you are flying through a cloud of water vapour, this will get into your drone.

Generally fresh water is not highly electrically conductive at the low voltages we are talking about in a drone, and so may not immediately cause any problems to the electronic circuit boards, however the drone is packed with sensors and if sufficient water got into the ultrasonic position sensors, they may well be damaged. Sometimes DJI uses adhesive tape to ensure cables remain in their allocated cable paths/routes, prolonged exposure to water may result in the degradation of the adhesive so cables could come loose, which may cause a problem.

I would not do it, and what about VLOS, whilst flying in fog...? but apart from that it was a good video

Stay safe, be happy
Waylander

Thanks, I hadn’t considered the internal moisture issues but certainly noticed the moisture on the outside.

 

[Gut Stuff]

get the drone wet suit

Thanks, have you tried one?

 

[Gut Stuff]

its not so much the drone getting wet on the outside,its the fact that moisture can be drawn inside by the fan and could cause issues with the internal electronics
also the sensors can be fooled by dense fog and cause the drone to think there are obstacles in its way

Good advice, thanks. It’s the first time I’ve flown through fog.

 

[THE CYBORG]

I have flown in fog once but wouldn’t do it again.
Had a real panic when I landed, couldn’t believe the amount of water that had condensed on the drone it was literally dripping, didn’t do any damage but it put me off trying it again even though I got some great footage.

 

[Gut Stuff]

I have flown in fog once but wouldn’t do it again.
Had a real panic when I landed, couldn’t believe the amount of water that had condensed on the drone it was literally dripping, didn’t do any damage but it put me off trying it again even though I got some great footage.

Thanks, yes I think that’s the first and last time for me too.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Hi Gut Stuff

Think about this, generally fog is considered to be a humidity reading equal to around 100%, so in essence you are flying through a cloud of water vapour, this will get into your drone.

Generally fresh water is not highly electrically conductive at the low voltages we are talking about in a drone, and so may not immediately cause any problems to the electronic circuit boards, however the drone is packed with sensors and if sufficient water got into the ultrasonic position sensors, they may well be damaged. Sometimes DJI uses adhesive tape to ensure cables remain in their allocated cable paths/routes, prolonged exposure to water may result in the degradation of the adhesive so cables could come loose, which may cause a problem.

I would not do it, and what about VLOS, whilst flying in fog...? but apart from that it was a good video

Stay safe, be happy
Waylander

The tape you really need to worry about is the tell take moisture ingress indicator kind. DJI will scream warranty void the second they see it has changed colour and fog will do it.

As to conductivity it does not vary with voltage- pure water is an insulator- fog has very low dissolved solids so we can assume it will be close to zero conductivity. Given time it will evaporate without consequence.

 

[Gut Stuff]

The tape you really need to worry about is the tell take moisture ingress indicator kind. DJI will scream warranty void the second they see it has changed colour and fog will do it.

As to conductivity it does not vary with voltage- pure water is an insulator- fog has very low dissolved solids so we can assume it will be close to zero conductivity. Given time it will evaporate without consequence.

Thanks, that’s all good to know.

 

[iamtotal]

DO NOT FLY IN FOG! FULLSTOP! KEEP YOUR MAVIC DRY AT ALL TIMES!

 

[Peter Hughes]

get the drone wet suit

Does this stop the water vapour being drawn into the drone and over the circuits?
If it does, isn’t there a risk of overheating?
If it doesn’t isn’t there a risk of damage to the internal components?
Don’t want to be thought of as “Drone Police “ so won’t mention VLOS!
Take care.

 

[Edward Knight]

Sorry to pop your bubble; If you do not have 3 miles visibility when flying in fog you are flying illegally. Case in point: a maned aircraft is flying under Instrument Flight Rules and he can't see you and you don't see him, just consider the consequences if you collide. The rules are there for a reason. I am an Instrument Rated Commercial Pilot and never want to experience that possibility.

 

[dawgpilot]

Sorry to pop your bubble; If you do not have 3 miles visibility when flying in fog you are flying illegally. Case in point: a maned aircraft is flying under Instrument Flight Rules and he can't see you and you don't see him, just consider the consequences if you collide. The rules are there for a reason. I am an Instrument Rated Commercial Pilot and never want to experience that possibility.

This is true, but I really hope you aren't flying IFR below 400 feet AGL (except on final approach on an ILS).

 

[paulatkin73]

It is same as with cameras - slr would rarely get much damage from rain or fog, but if lens gets enough moisture inside and it starts fungus - it is not easy to fix.

 

[zappy54]

Great Music Dude

 

[JAW]

"VFR on Top"
Enjoyed it!

 

[TheFoxSaysRingADingDing]

Flying in fog is like trying the Cinnamon Challenge. Sure it doesn't sound like any harm could come from it, but boy do you regret it afterwards

 

[Gut Stuff]

Flying in fog is like trying the Cinnamon Challenge. Sure it doesn't sound like any harm could come from it, but boy do you regret it afterwards

Did you have a problem with your drone after flying in fog?